Jeanne - Simme Valley wrote:Oh, yeah. Now it makes sense. Thanks We do have a few producers around the state that use darts.

Anyone with cattle should have a dart gun. Lot of times I'll dart one in the pen just so I don't get it all worked up going through the chute.

Sorry, but I have never had an animal get so "worked up" putting it thru the chute that I would consider darting it. I am not trying to criticize anyone, but I believe having good facilities is the number one thing a producer needs on their farm. If my facilities were so poor or my cattle were so wild that I needed to dart them ---- well, I'll just say that is not my kind of working cattle. Wild cows get culled.

Ours (about 300 pair) all have a good docility and very easy to work. We've had no problems sorting off and chuting a sick cow to treat but with the gun, which is fairly new to us... We'd probably shoot one with a dart if the pen conditions were real wet/sloppy. Otherwise, we really made our purchase decision on treating in pasture. Takes a few men to gather up one sick cow in a large pasture and not favorable if the cow is really sick. I believe this is one of the best purchases we've made and feel we've already got back our investment.

Dave wrote:They work real good in big pastures where you have to gather a large bunch to doctor one animal. A lot easier than roping and knocking one down. Easier on both the cow and the cowboy.I pay about $18 a pack for the darts.

Totally understand where it can be super useful in individual situations. I forget how BIG beef farms are elsewhere!!! I walk my whole property. LOL

For staying on top of things such as pinkeye, foot rot etc. when you don't have time to gather them they are a useful tool.Mine was a lifesaver last year with the pinkeye outbreak I had. B&G

WARNING! These Cattle get in your blood. Hope you have credit or a thick checkbook! LOL

Jeanne - Simme Valley wrote:Oh, yeah. Now it makes sense. Thanks We do have a few producers around the state that use darts.

Anyone with cattle should have a dart gun. Lot of times I'll dart one in the pen just so I don't get it all worked up going through the chute.

Sorry, but I have never had an animal get so "worked up" putting it thru the chute that I would consider darting it. I am not trying to criticize anyone, but I believe having good facilities is the number one thing a producer needs on their farm. If my facilities were so poor or my cattle were so wild that I needed to dart them ---- well, I'll just say that is not my kind of working cattle. Wild cows get culled.

Anytime you take a sick animal through the chute you are inducing stress. Just seperating them from the herd stresses them. If they are hurt and you make them walk you stress them. I have real nice facilities. I loaded out 226 head on pots in a hour out of them. They aren't shabby. Yes I have had wild cows and I do not care if they are wild or not, they get worked but those aren't the kind I'm talking about. I mean just good ol cows. The less stress the better. Simply load a dart and shoot them. The settle down much faster than you'd think.

Dave wrote:They work real good in big pastures where you have to gather a large bunch to doctor one animal. A lot easier than roping and knocking one down. Easier on both the cow and the cowboy.I pay about $18 a pack for the darts.

Good price. We use it mostly for pinkeye victims when it's 90 plus degrees outside. Hard on the cows and calves to get up in hot weather to give a couple shots. It's worked for us so far. Not cheap though.

jnm303 wrote:How much medicine can one dart deliver? I was treating for pink eye today and since LA 200 calls for 4.5 ml per 100 pounds, I'm giving 4-5 shots to each. How many times would I need to "shoot" them?

Mine is the pump type rifle. I've had great luck with it. The largest darts offered are 10cc. One thing I would suggest is to go to LA 300 the dosage is less.I use LA 300 on calves for pinkeye. Draxxcin on cows for pinkeye and foot rot. The Draxxicin is pricey but it allows me to stop pinkeye at its onset. For foot rot it's a dart once and forget! One other thing I've found is they won't push Nuflor its to thick. B&G

WARNING! These Cattle get in your blood. Hope you have credit or a thick checkbook! LOL

jnm303 wrote:How much medicine can one dart deliver? I was treating for pink eye today and since LA 200 calls for 4.5 ml per 100 pounds, I'm giving 4-5 shots to each. How many times would I need to "shoot" them?